Gas-exhauster for oil-tanks.



v 1. HDLMES. GAS EXHAUS'TER FOR OIL TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10. 19I3. 2i at nted Apr. 20, 1915.

0. J. HOLMES.

GAS EXHAUSTER FOR OIL TANKS.

APPLICATION man NOV. 10. 1913.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

3 QHBETS-SHEET Z Z/M f/Wo dram M /(a7r 'fnrrdi 0. '1. HOLMES. GAS EXHAUSTER FOR OIL TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1913.

m N2] M Mm 3 m m m MW 7 .ZWQE

PAW-M l UFFIFM.

OSCAR J. HOLMES, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GAS-EXHAUSTER FOR OIL-TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

plication filed November 10, 1913. Serial No. 800,174.

10 an w/zom it may concern Be it known that I, OsoAR J. HoLME's, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Exhausters for Oil-Tanks, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in gas exhausting apparatus for oil tanks, and the object of my invention is to construct a means for exhausting gas from oil tanks comprising a tubular gas conveyer, and a float for the support of the intake end of said conveyer whereby the float will automatically maintain the intake end of said conveyer at a point slightly above the oil surface in the region of the most dense gas.

In a companion application filed November 10,.1913, Serial No. 800,173 I illustrate, describe and claim a similar apparatus whereby the intake end of the gas exhausting means is positioned and held in place by a manually operated means. I With the above purposes in view my in vention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows in plan an oil tank with portions of the roof removed to show my improved gas exhausting apparatus and its relation to the internal braces of the tank; Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmental elevation of a tank with a portion removed to show the flexible gas exhausting pipe carried by a float; Fig. 3 is an enlarged, detail, sectional elevation of a pipe joint employed in my invention; Fig. 4 is a sectional plan illustrating in detail the means for guiding certain of the floating elements of my invention; Fig. 5'is an enlarged, detail elevation of the float guiding means; and Fig. 6

is a detail fragmental elevation illustrating relatively articulating float sections to provide for the passing of the internal tank braces.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings: 7 designates an oil tank of the type commonly used for the storage of crude oil and the like, which tanks are of great size and require internal braces such as 8 in order to stiffen the inclosing walls of the tank.

9 designates floats preferably formed hollow'and of sheet metal. In outline each of the floats is shaped to conform with the braces 8 within the oil tank, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 1. Between each pair of floats is an articulating float section 10. Carried by the supporting float is a stub 11 and carried by the articulating float section is a pair of hinge bars 12, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. Arranged adjacent each corner of each float is a bracket 13 carrying a roller 14, and as a companion of the bracket 13 and roller 14 there is a bracket 15 carrying a roller 16, the bracket 15 being extended some considerable distance beyond the roller 16 so as to hold the float 9 elevated above the bottom of the tank in order to provide a Working space for repairs and the like when the tank is empty. Secured to the braces 8 within the tank are the vertical guides 17 upon which the rollers 14 and 16 travel as the float rises and lowers with the body of oil. Carried by certain of the floats 9 are the pipe coupling-members 18 which extend through the floats andare open at their tops. 19 designates a pipe preferably located beneath and, outside the tank 7 and has connected therewith a suction creating means 20. Secured in the bottom of the tank preferably vertically alining with the pipe coupling 18 is a pipe coupling 21 in communication with the pipe 19, and con necting the pipe couplings 18 and 21 is a tubular conveyer '22 which is flexible andmay be constructed either of material which is flexible itself or of a number of pipe sections having the hinged joints 22*. By this arrangement means is provided for exhaustingthe dense gas lying on the surface of the oil, the floats providing means for automatically maintaining the intake point of the exhausting means adjacent the surface of the oil at all times, regardless of its level, and the hinged sections of the floats providing a means whereby the floats may pass the braces within the tank. the floats providing a means for carrying the intake point of the exhausting apparatus at or about the surface of the oil, the floats In addition to constitute a blanket or cover for the entire cured to said braces, a plurality of floats surface of oil, thereby minimizing evapoarranged between said guides, certain of ration and the production of gas. said floats having auxiliary, hinged float- I claim: sections to form articulating margins for 5 1. In combination with an oil tank havthe floats, a gas exhausting means, and a 20 ing internal braces and vertical guides seflexible connection between said exhausting cured to said braces, a floating body within means and certain of said floats, substanthe tank between said guides, and floating tially as shown and for the purposes stated. bodies hingedly secured to the first men- In,testimony whereof I have signed my 10 tioned body to articulate relative thereto, name to this specification in presence of two 25 in order to provide for the movement of subscribing witnesses.

the floating body above and below said OSCAR J. HOLMES. braces. Witnesses 2; In combination with an oil tank hav- E. L. WALLACE,

15' ing internal braces and vertical guides se- N. G. BUTLER. 

